Zero Robotics compete on space station to clean up space junk

WL team captures 2nd place at MIT

Members of the West Lafayette High School's DevilTech Engineering team took second place in the Zero Robotics National tournament this month at MIT. Team members include captain Jerry Ma, Albert Hwang, John McDougall, Adam Anderson, Anand Hastak, Cade Kane, Ben Tally and Nick Birkhimer. Teacher Steve Florence advised the team.

West Lafayette High School's DevilTech Engineering team took second place in the Zero Robotics National tournament held Jan. 11 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Held in conjunction with the International Space Station, the competition pitted students from more than 140 teams across the USA and Europe.

The team was one of 27 teams qualifying for the MIT finals based on its performance in preliminary rounds.

For the competition, high school students operated robotic satellites aboard the space station using programs they wrote. Finalists watched live via downlink from the space station as astronauts supervised the satellites during the final rounds.

Students designed the satellites to perform space debris removal and navigation tasks in a micro-gravity environment.

The West Lafayette team advanced to the top three after winning previous rounds and was awarded second place following the final match.